MIDDLE-EASTERN SPICED SQUASH + BEAN STEW

The news has me a bit emotional lately so all I have to give right now is a warm pot of soup. I have always been empathetic and emotional but being a mother has made me even more so. I can't help but hear stories about the shooting in Oregon or the refugees and personalize them. My family is not entitled to any sort of safety or protection, as cautious as I try to be, and that scares me to death. All I desire is for my people to be safe and healthy and happy; I'm sure that is what any parent hopes for; and when the story goes otherwise, it reminds you that you must hold onto things loosely. These sort of tragedies happen in an instant and my heart hurts for how fragile this life is.

It was fall around here for about two days. A little rain, I put on slippers, bought squash and made banana bread and soup. It's going to be 90' again by the weekend but I can feel the chill creeping in. It's coming and I am ready. So today, it's a simple and spiced bowl of soup for the comfort that food can give when there's not much else you can do. 

MIDDLE EASTERN-SPICED SQUASH + BEAN STEW // Serves 6

Adapted from A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry

I changed a couple things here and only because I don't like to dirty a dish unless it's absolutely necessary. Diana recommends browning the squash before you put them into the stew to get a golden crust. I find that to be lost when it gets cooked further in a liquid so decided to skip that step. Mind you, I haven't tried it otherwise and surely she has good reason so brown that squash if you're up for it!

Chiles vary widely in heat level depending where you buy them so this is tough to predict. I removed all of the seeds from my chiles so got next to no heat in my finished soup as I knew I'd be sharing it with a toddler. Personal taste, I would leave a few in so do so if you want some spice. 

2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 red chiles, seeded and chopped
5 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)
3 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 3/4 cups (1 14 oz. can) cooked garbanzo or cannellini beans
juice and zest of one lemon
whole milk yogurt, for garnish
fresh mint, for garnish
toasted sesame or nigella seeds, for garnish
cooked brown rice (and lentils if you wish) for serving

In a large dutch oven over medium heat, warm the coconut oil. Add the onions, carrots and a pinch of salt and saute until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, chiles and tomatoes and cook another five minutes. Stir in the cumin, tomato paste and a few pinches of salt and pepper.

Add the squash and the broth and stir to mix. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 30-40 minutes until the squash is softened. Add in the cooked beans (rinsed and drained if using canned) and simmer, uncovered, another 10 minutes to warm through. This should be thick and stew like. Add the lemon zest and juice and taste for seasonings. 

Serve your bowls with a scoop of rice (or rice and lentils), the stew, a dollop of yogurt, mint and seeds. I liked a 2:1 ratio of stew to rice and generous with the toppings. Always :)

GREENY SALAD WITH CRISPY CHICKPEAS + ROASTED JALAPENO DRESSING

Green Things Salad . Sprouted Kitchen

I deleted the words I was struggling through to sum up the responsibility I feel to Curran after listening to my cousins talk about their mom at my aunt's memorial last weekend. I'm not talking making baby food and reading him books, but the big stuff, or the in-between. I have the most intense dislike for the word "supermom" because it always seems to be used in a context which dumbs down the job of being a mother to sewing the best Halloween costumes or having the most crafts at your kids' birthday party while encouraging competition and comparing and blech. I listened to how her boys' spoke of how much she taught them through gracious discipline, humbled generosity, taking them on adventures and quiet listening. If the phrase existed before my generation of parenting, my Aunt actually would have been a textbook supermom, but her boys didn't praise her sewing or baking or gardening or crafts. They spoke of how she made them feel - how she built them up and encouraged them to find a way that made them truly happy. Our parenting is so much more relational than we see in the small picture. To nurture that is a role you don't read about in a baby book, you get a clear picture when you hear young men describe the sort of mother they knew. The honor is mine.

“You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of kindness, of forgiveness, of emotional bravery. Be a warrior for love.” 

- Cheryl Strayed

It's been warm here this week and all the plans of stews and roasted this and that don't sound right. I have a salad in our new book that is full of all my favorite green things, and this is similar. It looks gorgeous in all it's monochromatic colors while still having contrast of texture and flavor. The chickpeas are like a teeny crouton and with the snap of the seeds, this is almost closer to a slaw with all it's crunch. Anyway, it's nice to change up the routine I've been in of roasted squash and see spring around the corner.

Green Things Salad . Sprouted Kitchen

Green Things Salad . Sprouted Kitchen

Green Things Salad . Sprouted Kitchen

GREENY SALAD WITH CRISPY CHICKPEAS + ROASTED JALAPENO // Serves 4

The smoky chickpeas adapted from The First Mess

This should yield enough dressing for a second salad. When I ate the leftovers of this, I added on some pom seeds and sheeps feta (my staples) and they work so well here. If you want a little color, sweetness and salty cheese, they're a welcomed addition.

• / smoky chickpeas /
• 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and towel dried
• 1/2 tsp. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• few pinches of sea salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400'. On a parchment lined baking sheet, toss the chickpeas with the maple, oil, paprika and a few picnhes of salt and pepper. Spread in a single later and bake for 20 minutes until crispy. Set aside while you prepare the rest of your salad.

• / roasted jalapeno dressing /
• 1 roasted jalapeno*
• 1 Tbsp. chopped shallot
• 1/2 cup (a handful) roughly chopped cilantro
• juice of one lime (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. agave nectar or honey
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Stem the jalapeno and remove all, half or none of the seeds depending on your spice preference (I used half and found it plenty spicy). Into a blender or food processor, combine the roasted jalapeno, shallot, cilantro, lime juice, white wine vinegar, agave, olive oil and salt. Blend until well combined. 

* To roast the jalapeno, coat the outside in oil and roast at 400' for 20 minutes. This can be done while you're baking the chickpeas. 

• 4 packed cups baby kale
• 2 cups shredded brussels sprouts
• 3 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely diced cucumber
• 1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1 avocado, peeled and quartered

 In a large salad bowl, combine the baby kale, shredded brussels, green onions, cucumber and half of the pumpkin seeds. Toss with desired amount of dressing and top with the remaining seeds, crispy chickpeas and avocado. 

Green Things Salad . Sprouted Kitchen

VEGGIE NAAN'WICH WITH FETA CHICKPEA MASH

naan sammiches . sprouted kitchen

I worked at a deli for a short season during college. I suppose it was my first job making food for people, though I'd had a number of other jobs prior. I would go between classes and on the weekends, I liked people and the hustle of the lunch hour, and how hard could it be to whip together a sandwich? The deli was known for having these perfectly soft baguettes for sandwiches, a few of the specials were made on sliced bread, but those baguettes were why people came in. None of the sandwiches were particularly ecentric or creative, but the simple art of a good sandwich is getting the ratio of fillings correct. Here in also lies personal preference. I like lots of mustard or sauce, if there is mayo, I don't really want to see it, but I can appreciate it's moisture contribution. The owner of the deli taught me to take the rib out of the lettuce so the lettuce layer is even and consistent, and also that more filling is not always better. I agree with that. You've got to be able to get your mouth around it without a gigantic mess, especially since a number of sandwich eaters are on the go or sitting on a bench. I don't remember a lot of details about that job, or what exactly I took from it, but getting your sandwich just right is like how someone takes their coffee. Little tweaks but usually you know what you like.

This is a recent veggie sandwich that pushes beyond the sprouts, avocado, lettuce, tomato limits. It folds over like a taco, but we're going to call it a sandwich anyway. I would consider it pretty simple, especially if you opt to purchase the naan instead of make your own. There is a creamy component, almost like a rustic hummus of sorts, a crunchy, raw vegetable, a hint of acid from the onions and the bits of feta that are bold enough to make the whole naan'wich a real treat. It's tough to give exact amounts here, but the fun of a sandwich is to make it as you wish. Hugh likes his with extra sriracha, I like easy onions, triple greens. Here's to a little something different for lunch either way.

naan sammiches . sprouted kitchen

VEGGIE NAAN'WICH WITH FETA CHICKPEA MASH // makes 4 sammys with a few extra naan

The chickpea mixture could be made in advance and kept covered in the fridge. If you need a GF option, I would stuff these items in a charred brown rice tortilla and just fold it in half.

// Naan //

Naan recipe adapted from Indian Simmer

2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup of warm milk
1/2 cup of yogurt
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
ghee or coconut oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together and make a well in the center.

Mix milk and yogurt together and pour half of it into the well and slowly combine it together.

Add the remaining liquid slowly and combine it all together slowly until a soft dough is made. The dough should be soft and tender.If dough sticks to your hand, use little bit of oil.

Cover with damp cloth and let it sit in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

Preheat a heavy bottomed, seasoned skillet or cast iron. Add a slick of ghee or coconut oil. Flour your work surface and knead the dough a few times, working in the minced garlic. Divide the dough into 6 to 8 pieces depending how large you'd like your sandwiches. Roll them out into a thin, oblong shape. Brush one side with water and add it to the pan, damp side down. Cook for about one minute until it browns, flip and cook the other side for another couple minutes. Brush the warm bread with a thin layer of ghee or coconut oil and a pinch of salt. Repeat with remaining dough. Keep covered with a dish cloth until ready to prepare the sandwiches.

naan sammiches . sprouted kitchen

2 cups cooked chickpeas
giant handful of chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons tahini paste
zest and juice of one small lemon
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup crumbled sheep's milk feta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fresh ground pepper

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 carrots, thinly peeled with a peeler
3 cups sprouts of greens of choice
extra virgin olive oil
sriracha for spice, if needed

Rinse and drain the chickpeas. In a food processor, give the beans and cilantro a few quick pulses -just to rough them up, you don't want a paste. I'm talking like 2 to 3 pulses. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the tahini, lemon juice and zest, pinch of red pepper flakes, feta, olive oil and lots of fresh ground pepper. Smash to blend. Add a tiny splash of water if needed.

Combine the onion and vinegar in a bowl with a pinch of salt and toss with your fingers to coat just to soften them a bit. Set up your assembly with the carrot ribbons, vinegared onions and greens. Make each sandwich with a hearty swipe of the chickpea mash, a generous layer of onions, carrots, greens. Drizzle the vegetables with a bit of olive oil and your hot sauce on the side as needed.

naan sammiches . sprouted kitchen

naan sammiches . sprouted kitchen